Don’t let the quaint, charming Victorian exterior of this downtown Littleton house fool you. With refined dishes from around the world, Café Terracotta is more than meets the eye.

“Café Terracotta it is not only about excellent food, drink, atmosphere, and service; it is about relationships, about being open,” its website declares.

Luckily for the ACC community, it’s just a hop, skip, and not even a jump down the road off Main and South Curtice streets.

The inside of the café offers a more modern look with its exposed brick and open floor plan. The kitchen also is open and provides guests the opportunity to watch the chefs prepare their meals.

Outside, the restaurant provides a nice garden patio for guests to soak in the sun, weather permitting.

The art on the walls is alluring, and provided (for sale) by local artists. But if you don’t have the money to spare, you can simply enjoy the paintings in the restaurant’s gallery-style dining room.

The staff at Café Terracotta is very attentive, even on its busiest weekend days.

Though there can sometimes be a short delay, restaurant patron Brie Mondragon says that’s not a problem: “Well worth the wait,” she said.

Mondragon opted for a pear, ham and brie omelet from the brunch menu which she said was “delicious – just right.”

But if eggs, sandwiches or an assortment of mimosas aren’t your favorite, you always can opt to come back later in the evening for Café Terracotta’s dinner menu. The café offers small, affordable plates ranging from Ahi Tuna Tacos to Sweet Chili Buffalo Calamari, each $13, as well as large plates.

The café also provides a large wine list with a variety of Old World and New World choices, and even stocks some Colorado wines.

So, if you’re into great drinks and great food, and you love a local, upscale – yet affordable – atmosphere, remember you can walk, not drive to Café Terracotta. Of course, you can drive, too.

Café Terracotta, 5649 S. Curtice St., Littleton. 303/794-6054. Open for breakfast and lunch seven days, 7:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Open for dinner Monday through Saturday, 5 p.m. until close (depending on when things slow down).